Buttons are one of the simplest mechanisms and for this reason they are widespread for controlling machines or processes. Typically made of rigid material, such as plastics or metal, they often have a surface that is generally flat or contoured to accommodate the finger or the hand, so as to be pushed and released easily. Such buttons, especially if used in the industrial field, must be sturdy, since they withstand great stresses, and must be very reliable, i.e., they must allow constant control of the device on which they are fitted. A typical example of widely used button is the M22 type, known by this name because it has a connector with a circular cross-section that measures 22 mm in diameter. Such type of button is appreciated for being easy to install, because its wide diffusion has rendered it compatible with many commercially available devices, i.e., it is supported natively without requiring additional interfaces for its installation.
Modern touchscreens also allow the user to interact directly with the device on which they are mounted without using additional apparatuses such as a mouse or a touchpad. The spread of this type of screen is due to the fact that they allow intuitive, fast and accurate user interaction with the content shown on the screen. In any case, differently from traditional electromechanical interfaces of the M22 type, the touchscreen is often installed on dedicated devices such as smartphones according to methods that are not standard.
The background art lacks a system capable of combining the sturdiness and compatibility of interfaces based on M22 technology with the benefits deriving from the use of a touchscreen.
Within this aim, the disclosure provides a system that can be adapted and used in different contests.